Step 4: Breast Cancer Self Exam - Up & Down Motion

Lie down on your back and place a pillow under your shoulders. Place your right hand behind your head.

Doing so flattens down the breasts making the examination easier.

You will need to examine the entire area of your right breast — from the breast bone; to underneath the breast; and especially in the underarm.


Follow these simple steps:

With the pads of the three middle fingers of your right hand, use dime-size UP & DOWN motions to examine the entire breast area of your right breast.

Do not remove your fingers from your breast, simply glide them across.

These UP & DOWN motions should be repeated three times at different pressure levels — light, medium and heavy.

• Do you feel a lump in the breast, upper chest or underarm?
• Do you feel odd skin textures such as lumpiness, thickening, dimpling or puckering?
• Do you feel unusual pain in the breast or underarm?


Note: This self-exam is not a substitute to regular doctor visits. Take care of your health.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• breast cancer
• self exam
• up & down
• George S. Ferzli MD
• healthcare
• woman's health
• pierceaxiom